Call CSO003- PEO Maritime CB.pdf

SOF AT&L Innovative Technology and Agile Acquisition Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) CALL CSO003

PEO Maritime, Special Operations Forces Combat Diving Development 13 May 2026

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This CSO call is intended to meet the requirements of DFARS 212-70 Commercial Solutions Opening. The intent of this notice is to establish a USSOCOM SOF AT&L Maritime CSO call with a tailored scope to meet the specific requirements of this call. It serves as a foundational, competitive announcement seeking innovative commercial solutions to address a wide range of maritime warfighting challenges.

Interested Vendors may submit a solution brief in response to Call CSO003 from the dates 13 May 2026-02 Jun 2026, only.

NOTE: All submissions must include “CALL CSO003” in the email subject line.

SOF AT&L-K intends to award FAR and non-FAR contracts and agreements to both traditional and non-traditional defense contractors to execute prototype projects for SOF Combat Diving. As such, under the authority of 10 USC § 3458 and DoD Class Deviation 2022-O0007, USSOCOM SOF AT&L releases this Commercial Solutions Opening.

Awards under this CSO may result in an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) or a FAR-based contract.

1.0 FUTURE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

PEO Maritime operates at the critical edge of global power competition, where clandestine sub-surface access and littoral dominance are paramount to national security. Our adversaries are rapidly developing advanced sensor networks and anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities designed to detect and defeat maritime infiltration in contested environments. To maintain our strategic advantage, PEO Maritime must accelerate the identification, development, and fielding of disruptive combat diving technologies. This call seeks partners who can provide innovative solutions—such as advanced life support, sub-surface communications, signature management, and diver mobility—to ensure U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) Combat Divers and our allied counterparts can successfully infiltrate, operate, and achieve mission success in any denied or contested maritime environment.

2.0 INTRODUCTION:

2.1 Program Scope

USSOCOM Special Operations Forces Combat Diving (SOF CD) Program seeks Industry innovation and solutions for continuous development and fielding of collaborative Propulsion, Navigation, Communications, Maritime Environmental Protection, Life Support Systems, and Signature Management equipment. This initiative supports all phases of SOF CD operations, including development, procurement, and sustainment.

2.2 Objective

The Government objective is to rapidly enhance capabilities and streamline the Development pipeline to quickly incorporate new technology that addresses emerging threats and improves efficiency and lethality.

This call for White Papers focuses on identifying novel commercial solutions with technical attributes that can be traced to current requirements and procured for development or fielding.

Solutions will target identified capability gaps or improve upon current capabilities.

2.3 Acquisition Strategy

The Government’s overarching acquisition strategy is to deliver SOF CD capabilities through a spiral development approach for all areas except for Life Support Systems which are meant to be long-term (20+ year) capabilities. This enables the rapid creation and delivery of integrated solutions leveraging Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) to be further advanced via modifications to meet or exceed capability gaps. The Program seeks constant feedback from operational units to gain user feedback and ensure development efforts meet validated requirements.

2.4 Background

SOF CD requirements began as several material developments in response to a 2016 Capability Based Assessment (CBA). The analysis of each material development captured capability gaps identified in the 2016 CBA. This led to further development following validated Special Operations Rapid Requirement Documents (SORRDs) and resulted in several consequential material solutions.

Evolution of the approved material developments resulted in a Family of Systems (FoS) Capabilities Development Document (CDD) that was validated 22 April 2025. The CDD allowed for transition of all current related material developments.

SOF CD is now a FoS requirement under the acquisition pathway designated as a Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) ACAT III Program. SOF CD will continue to mitigate gaps for all fifteen requirements and insert technology maturation as it becomes available.

3.0 REQUIREMENTS:

Required Technical Attributes: The Government will evaluate submittals and presentations based on their potential to replace, enhance, or bring new and novel capabilities to the program.

Potential offerors SHALL identify their solution’s ability to meet the Government’s required technical attributes:

Requirement Category Requirement Description

3.1 Acquisition &

Testing

Ability to deliver innovative commercial products or nondevelopmental items (NDI) that can be adapted, modified, or integrated as prototypes for further Government testing and evaluation.

3.2 Collaboration Provide examples or historical evidence of providing opportunities for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), Government entities, and others to meet and collaborate to solve capability gaps in the combat diving community. Provide examples of being a critical partner to OEMs to enhance or develop equipment either by monetary or technical insertion.

3.3 Liaison Role Act as liaison between Government and OEM, enforcing configuration requirements and ensuring Statement of Work (SOW) compliance.

3.4 Data Rights Provide Technical Data and Computer Software rights commensurate with the funding source (e.g., Unlimited Rights for exclusively government-funded efforts; Government Purpose Rights for mixed-funded efforts). The Government's objective is to obtain sufficient rights to enable the unrestricted use, organic maintenance, and integration of the solution for Government purposes.

3.6 Documentation Provide detailed Bill of Materials (BOM), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and Material LOT/Batch information for non-metallic materials.

3.7 Quality Control Provide Objective Quality Evidence (OQE) and meet testing standards IAW SS800-AG-MAN-010/P9290.

3.8 Navigation Provide examples of demonstrable success collaborating with OEMs to develop and subsequently procure combat diver navigation equipment. Provide examples of collaboration between Navigation and Propulsion OEMs to integrate devices to solve Combat Diving related mission needs or capability gaps. Existing knowledge of equipment from and relationships with Greensea, Blueprint Subsea, and Shark Marine Technologies required at a minimum.

3.9 Propulsion Provide examples of demonstrable success collaborating with OEMs to develop and subsequently procure combat diver propulsion equipment. This may include effecting design changes to improve COTS equipment, developing and implementing changes, etc.

Provide examples of collaboration between Navigation and Propulsion OEMs to integrate devices to solve Combat Diving related mission needs or capability gaps. Existing knowledge of equipment from and relationship with Stidd, Patriot3 Marine, Seacraft, and Submarine Exploration Company required at a minimum.

4.0 Communications Provide examples of demonstrable success collaborating with OEMs to develop and subsequently procure combat diver communications equipment. This may include effecting design changes to improve COTS equipment, developing and implementing changes, etc.

Provide examples for both acoustic and optical underwater communications experience as well as any history of collaboration and integration of communications equipment on underwater vehicles.

4.1 Signature

Management

Provide examples of knowledge of underwater acoustics and past performance modifying equipment to alter sound signatures, detect sound signatures, developing propellers, or modifying thrusters/propulsors.

4.2 Maritime

Environmental Protection

Provide examples of demonstrable success collaborating with OEMs to develop and subsequently procure combat diver Maritime Environmental Protection equipment. Please explain in detail in each of the following categories: diver thermal regulation (active heat), diver thermal regulation (active cooling), contaminated water exposure protection, and dangerous marine life protection.

4.3 Life Support

Systems

Provide examples of demonstrable success collaborating with OEMs to develop and subsequently procure combat diver life support equipment, specifically rebreathers and diver treatment capabilities.

Provide examples of existing capabilities to inspect, tear down, rebuild, or otherwise perform service on life support equipment.

Provide a history demonstrating a capability to provide life support training for both operation and maintenance as well as technical support. Existing knowledge of equipment from and relationships with James Fisher Defense and Approved for Naval Use vendors is required.

3.8 Desired Technical Attributes:

3.8.1 SME Knowledge: Offeror personnel have unique knowledge set of/experience with SOF domains, mission, and operational context to support SME level conversations, focused user centered design practices, and enable creative solutions to solve SOF specific requirements.

3.8.2 Intellectual Property Strategy: Government data rights are of critical importance to successful implementation of SOF CD based capabilities. The Program Management (PM) team will assess intellectual property rights for both COTS solutions with limited data rights as well as solutions with unlimited or government purpose data rights.

3.8.3 Cyber Security: For any follow-on production award, solutions containing software, firmware or information technology components must obtain a favorable Authority to Operate (ATO) decision and ongoing cybersecurity risk acceptance prior to fielding to USSOCOM. Purely mechanical or non-electronic components are exempt front his specific requirement.

4.0 GUIDELINES FOR SOLUTION BRIEFS, PITCHES, AND PROPOSALS:

4.1 Purpose

The purpose of the Solution Brief is to identify innovative solutions and preclude effort on the part of the Company whose proposed work may not be of interest to the Government.

Companies are encouraged to follow the instructions detailed below. White Papers should specifically identify this call for White Papers. The Government aims to provide an evaluation response 15 days after the submission deadline for White Papers in response to this call.

4.2 Retention

Submissions will not be returned. The original of each submission received will be retained by the USSOCOM SOF AT&L Maritime and all other non-required copies destroyed.

4.3 Guidelines for White Paper Submissions

4.3.1 It is generally desired that proposed solutions consist of mature commercial technologies or Nondevelopmental Items (NDI) that are ready for prototyping, adaptation, or demonstration within a SOF operational environment. Efforts should focus on the innovative application or modification of existing commercial solutions rather than foundational research and development.

4.3.2 Costs of preparing and submitting White Papers are at the company’s expense.

4.3.3 Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or proposals are not desired.

4.3.4 Use of a diagram(s) or figure(s) to depict the proposed solution is strongly encouraged.

4.3.5 Multiple White Papers addressing different topic areas may be submitted by the same organization; however, each White Paper may only address one concept based on the stated Government call for White Papers.

4.3.6 The period of performance for any White Paper or proposal submitted under this CSO should generally be no greater than 18 months.

4.3.7 Technical data with military application may require appropriate approval, authorization, or license for lawful exportation.

4.3.8 All White Papers shall be unclassified. White Papers containing data that are not to be disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes shall include the following sentences on the cover page:

“This White Paper includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government, except to contractor support services personnel for evaluation purposes, and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed -- in whole or in part -- for any purpose other than to evaluate this submission. If, however, an agreement is awarded to this Company as a result of -- or in connection with -- the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent agreed upon by both parties in the resulting agreement.

This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets ” And each restricted data sheet should be marked as follows:

“Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.”

4.3.9 Foreign-Owned businesses may be a submitter alone or through some form of teaming arrangement with one or more United States-owned businesses. However, the ability to obtain an agreement or contract based upon a submission may depend upon the ability of the Foreign Owned business to obtain necessary export clearances and approvals to obtain Call for White Papers or SOI information.

4.3.10 Questions regarding the objectives or preparation of the White Paper should be addressed to: christie.r.orlando.civ@socom.mil & joshua.t.myers.civ@socom.mil by 26 May 2026 1500

4.3.11 Submissions must be submitted electronically via email to the following individuals:

Ms. Christie Orlando – christie.r.orlando.civ@socom.mil Mr. Joshua Myers – joshua.t.myers.civ@socom.mil Mr. Eric Lowney – eric.j.lowney.civ@socom.mil

4.4 Evaluation Phase I: White Papers

4.4.1 White Paper Preparation and Evaluation:

Submitter’s White Paper should not exceed five (5) pages using twelve (12) point font.

Alternatively, White Papers may take the form of slides, which should not exceed ten (10) slides.

These limits are not requirements, but strong recommendations.

4.4.2 White Paper Content:

· Title Page (does not count against page limit) Company Name, Title, Date, Point of Contact Name, Email Address, Phone, and Address.

· Executive Summary (one page) Provide an executive summary of the technology.

· Technology Concept: Describe the unique aspects of your technology and the proposed work as it relates to the call for White Papers. Identify whether the effort includes the pilot, demonstration or adaptation of existing commercial technology (identified as commercially ready and viable technology) or NDI. If the adaptation or modification of an existing commercial product or NDI is proposed to meet SOF requirements, identify the suggested path and timeline to mature the solution for the operational environment.

· Company Viability: Provide a brief overview of the company. Provide a summary of current fundraising to date or a summary of the top line (gross sales or revenues). Provide a summary of product commercialization and go-to-market strategy.

4.4.3 White Paper Basis of Evaluation:

In accordance with DoD Class Deviation 2022-O0007, the primary evaluation factors for selecting proposals for award shall be technical, importance to agency programs, and funds availability. These primary factors are of equal importance. Price shall be considered to the mailto:christie.r.orlando.civ@socom.mil mailto:joshua.t.myers.civ@socom.mil mailto:eric.j.lowney.civ@socom.mil extent appropriate, but at a minimum, to determine that the price is fair and reasonable.

Individual White Papers will be evaluated without regard to other submissions received under this announcement against the following specific criteria, which map to the primary evaluation factors:

-Technical (Technical Merit & Innovation):

The feasibility of the proposed solution to address the call order, and the degree to which the proposed solution provides an innovative, unique, and/or previously under-utilized commercial approach.

-Importance to Agency Programs (Relevancy & Business Viability):

How the proposed solution directly relates to and impacts the SOF CD mission. This includes the strength of the company and commercial viability of the proposed solution (ability to withstand due diligence, foreign ownership control analysis, and Trade Agreements Act compliance) to ensure a successful transition to the warfighter.

-Funds Availability & Price (Affordability):

Evaluation of cost, price, and other budgetary considerations. The Government will evaluate the proposed price to determine if it is fair and reasonable. Awards are strictly subject to the availability of funds.

4.4.4 After evaluating the White Paper the Government may elect to invite a Company to pitch and/or demonstrate their technology in person or request additional information from the Company.

4.5 Pitch and/or Demonstration Content:

The pitch and/or demonstration should provide more details on the technical merit and business viability of the proposed solution submitted in the White Paper. Regardless of format, the pitch and/or demonstration must also address:

· Rough Order of Magnitude price and notional schedule

· USSOCOM Utility and how this concept could be tested within a SOF military environment.

· Operational Impact. Details who the operational users of the technology are expected to be.

· Prototype: State how this effort fits the CSO definition of a prototype.

· Data Rights and Intellectual Property Assertions.

· The Government may request additional information outside of the pitch/demonstration.

4.6 Pitch and/or Demonstration Basis of Evaluation:

Individual pitch and/or demonstration will be evaluated without regard to other presentations under this announcement. Evaluation will be IAW the pre-stated evaluation factors in paragraph 4.4.2.

4.7 Evaluation Phase III: Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP)/ Request for Proposal (RFP) The Government will aim to complete Phase II evaluations and Company notification within 15 calendar days of the pitch/demonstration and/or receipt of additional requested information. All companies will receive Phase II notification, however, only favorably evaluated pitches/demonstrations will enter Phase III of the CSO process and receive an RPP.

If the Government determines there is a strong technical and programmatic fit, it may issue a RFP to the vendor for a more detailed submission, which may lead to an Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype award. For proposed OTs, during this Phase companies will collaboratively develop a SOW or Performance Work Statement (PWS) with the Government teams for their specific projects and negotiate Terms and Conditions into their Agreements. To ensure the proposed solution remains feasible for future integration and offers a sustainable technological advancement over existing capabilities, solutions containing software, electronic, or networked components must be built on a foundation of Open Systems Architecture (OSA). Purely mechanical hardware systems are exempt from this requirement. However, for applicable technologies, proprietary, "black box" systems that inhibit government or third-party integration will be at a significant competitive disadvantage. Proposals must explicitly describe how the solution conforms to relevant OSA standards, such as the Open Mission Systems (OMS) and Universal Command and Control Interface (UCI) standards. Where applicable, conformance with Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) and other DoD modular open standards is highly desirable. Vendors should detail their approach to data rights, interface definitions, and software modularity.

5.0 AWARD

5.1 Authority

Only warranted Contracting Officers and Agreement Officers may obligate the Government and issues awards for Contracts or Other Transaction Agreements (OTA), or agreements.

5.2 Contract Types

Awards made under this CSO will be primarily Firm Fixed-Price contracts or Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) under 10 U.S.C 4022 for Prototypes Projects with potential follow-on noncompetitive Production Agreements IAW 10 U.S.C 4022(f), 10 U.S.C 4022 Consortium Prototype OTAs with potential follow-on noncompetitive Production Agreements IAW 10 U.S.C 4022(f), 10 U.S.C. 4023 OTA for experimental purposes, or traditional FAR contracts. Ultimately, appropriate contract type will be determined during Phase III and may include types other than Firm Fixed-Price.

5.3 Follow-On Production

In the event an OTA is awarded under 10 U.S.C 4022 for a Prototype Project, a follow-on production agreement may be awarded to the Prototype Project recipient in a non-competitive manner based on completion of success criteria developed in the Prototype Project. The resulting OTA may include more than one prototype project. Non-completion of one or more prototype project(s) does not limit the possibility of the non-competitive follow-on production OTA for successfully completed projects, and the noncompetitive production OTA may also be awarded at the completion of an individual prototype project, or a portion thereof, before the overall completion of all Prototype Projects contemplated under the OTA, where the Government determines the follow-on of limited successful aspects is in the best interest of the government.

5.4 Registration

To receive an award, companies must be a registered entity in the System for Award Management (SAM). This system verifies identity and ensures that payment is sent to the right party. The link can be found here: https://sam.gov/SAM/

In general, to invoice and receive payment, Companies must register in Wide Area Workflow (WAWF). The Contracting Officer/Agreement Officer will provide WAWF assistance during Phase III.

5.5 Deadline

Proposals will be accepted through the date of 2 June, 2026.

6.0 PROTOTYPE-to-PRODUCTION

6.1 Iterative Prototyping. Prototype OTAs awarded against this CSO will allow for an iterative prototyping process. The government and the company will work together to allow the adaptation and modification of the technology being prototyped to meet additional unique and discrete purposes and mission sets generated by the original SOF end user or other organizations with the Federal government.

6.2 Successful Completion. The prototype project is successfully complete when the Government determines that the company met all successful completion criteria contained in the prototype OT Agreement, or a successfully evaluated portion thereof.

6.3 Option for Follow on Production. Upon successful completion of the prototype project, the government and the company may negotiate a follow-on production contract or agreement without further competition. Technical call for White Papers under this CSO and prototype OTA awards will include language providing for the potential award of a follow-on production contract or agreement as authorized under 10 USC § 4022(f). Offerors with successful prototypes may be awarded a follow-on production FAR contract or OT agreement. No award of a follow-on contract for production is guaranteed, however it is the Government’s intent to award one or more FAR contracts or OT agreements.

7.0 Supplemental Information

7.1 Non-Government Advisors

Non-Government advisors may be used in the evaluation of White Papers and proposals and will have signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) with the Government. The Government understands that information provided in response to this CSO is presented in confidence and may contain trade secret or commercial or financial information, and it agrees to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure to the maximum extent permitted and as required by law.

7.2 Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Be advised that the government may use AI to conduct initial reviews of submissions to call for White Paper submissions. Final selections will be made by government subject matter experts.

https://sam.gov/SAM/

7.3 Contact Information

Be advised, only a Contracting Officer/Agreement Officer has the authority to enter into a binding agreement on behalf of the Government and has exclusive authority to change the terms of a contract or agreement. Inquiries may be sent to the Contracting / Agreement Officer for this CSO announcement.

8.0 DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply to this Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) and any subsequent awards. Terms such as "Innovative" derive from the CSO authority (10 U.S.C. § 3458 and DoD Class Deviation 2022-O0007). Terms such as "Non-traditional Defense Contractor" and "Prototype Project" are specifically applicable to Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) awarded under 10 U.S.C. § 4022.

8.1 Innovative: In accordance with DoD Class Deviation 2022-O0007, “Innovative” is defined as:

(1) Any technology, process, or method, including research and development, that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal; or

(2) Any application that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal of a technology, process, or method existing as of such date.

8.2 Non-traditional Defense contractor (NDC): An entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding the solicitation of sources by DoD for the procurement or transaction, any contract or subcontract for the DoD that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards prescribed pursuant to section 1502 of title 41 and the regulations implementing such section (see 10 U.S.C. 2302(9)).

8.3 Other Transaction Agreement (OTA): Legally binding instruments not subject to the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) obligating the Government for a purpose IAW 10 USC § 4021, 4022 and 4023.

8.4 Procurement Contract. A contract awarded pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation and not a OTA.

8.5 Prototype Project: prototype project addresses a proof of concept, model, reverse engineering to address obsolescence, pilot, novel application of commercial technologies for defense purposes, agile development activity, creation, design, development, demonstration of technical or operational utility, or combinations of the foregoing. A process, including a business process, may be the subject of a prototype project. Although assistance terms are generally not appropriate in OT agreements, ancillary work efforts that are necessary for completion of the prototype project, such as test site training or limited logistics support, may be included in prototype projects. A prototype may be physical, virtual, or conceptual in nature.

A prototype project may be fully funded by DoD, jointly funded by multiple federal agencies, cost-shared, funded in whole or part by third parties, or involve a mutual commitment of resources other than an exchange of funds.